


Ice Cream and Open Fields

by LearnedFoot



Series: Nebula! [7]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Building trust, F/F, Food, Pre-ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:28:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LearnedFoot/pseuds/LearnedFoot
Summary: “Why did you save me?” Nebula asks. She would not have done the same, if the places were reversed.
Relationships: Nebula/Nebula (Marvel)
Series: Nebula! [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1835023
Comments: 12
Kudos: 18
Collections: All The Nice Things Flash Exchange 2020





	Ice Cream and Open Fields

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lucymonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucymonster/gifts).



> More pre-ship than full on shippy, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless! I couldn't resist writing you a treat for this delightful ship. They deserve very nice things.

Nebula doesn’t understand how she survived. Something in her wiring, frayed connections not entirely frayed. The connection was weak, though, so weak that when Stark undid her father’s triumph, she wasn’t swept up in the decimation. That’s the theory her other self shares, anyway, as she pieces Nebula back together.

“Why did you save me?” Nebula asks. She would not have done the same, if the places were reversed. Wants to do the opposite even now; is tempted to rip the eye from her double’s head, just to prove she isn’t grateful.

“Because,” her double replies simply, “you’ve never had ice cream.”

***

That answer is nonsense to Nebula, until her double takes her unwillingly by the hand, leading her out onto the wide green of a place she calls Wakanda. She doesn’t let Nebula near other people, despite the implant shoved deep in her neck, which she warns will leave her paralyzed for hours if she lashes out.

Nebula doesn’t want to be around people, anyway, and the open field where they finally settle, sitting together on a hill, is bright and warm. It smells like dirt and something sweet, probably flowers. Nebula squirms, uncomfortable in her comfort. Being on a planet with flowers is unusual; resting among them, letting the scent wash over her, even stranger.

Her double hands her something from a bag: a container, cold when Nebula takes it. She pries off the top, revealing something white and strangely textured, hard, mostly, but melted around the sides, spilling over the edge of the carton when she squeezes. 

“This is ice cream,” her double explains, handing her a spoon. “Vanilla.”

Ice cream, Nebula discovers, is good. So good: soft and sweet and rich, smooth as she swallows bite after bite, until there’s nothing left. She doesn’t say thank you, but when her double takes the empty container from her hand, she doesn’t flinch from her touch. Her double notices, and smiles.

“There are more flavors,” she says. “If you cooperate, we can have them all.”

“Fine,” Nebula agrees immediately, still buzzing from the sugar lingering on her tongue. “I would…enjoy that.”

The word tastes funny in her mouth: _enjoy_. She has not enjoyed many things in life.

Her double gives her a knowing look. “Good. Then Rocky Road is next. That is my favorite.”

Nebula doesn’t know what Rocky Road is, but as she licks the sticky remains of the ice cream from her fingers, she realizes she is excited to find out. And when her double stands and extends her hand, for the first time, she takes it willingly. 


End file.
